Customers have come in asking if the oil smells like pumpkin, said the auto shop’s owner.

Of course, there’s no such thing — but that hasn’t stopped customers from trying to get one.

Tuffy Tire and Auto, 1400 W. Diversey Parkway, has been putting up messages that make passersby do a double-take on its exterior sign since last year, said owner Loren Greenspon. He hoped shifting from traditional advertising to “funny, tongue-in-cheek” promotions would help drive more business to the shop.

The change quickly proved profitable: Greenspon put up a sign advertising “pumpkin spice oil changes” last fall, and it was so popular that eight to 12 people a day would stop to take photos. Greenspon thinks the photos were shared on social media, because the shop quickly started seeing more traffic.

Greenspon eventually swapped out the sign, posting one for Valentine’s Day and then another one promising Tesla owners a free oil change (for those not in on the joke, Teslas don’t need oil changes). He brought back the uber-popular pumpkin spice one on Saturday.

Greenspon, who has owned the Tuffy’s location since March 2017, comes up with the signs, thinking up an idea himself or getting inspired by a joke on the internet and putting his own twist on it. He changes the sign’s message about six times a year.

Login

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you wish to disable cookies, please do so in your browser settings. Your continued use of this site without disabling your cookies is subject to the cookie policy.OkRead more